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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1015, 22 December 1881, Page 2

Yesterday was witness to the installation of Gisborne’s new Mayor. There were no civic honors, and there were no civic jubilations. A Mayor, out of nothing a year, even if subsidised to a like amount by the Government, cannot be expected to spend very much, although he must, perforce, subscribe to numerous public movements which he, otherwise, would not be obliged to do. The question of voting a salary for our Mayoral Office, is, of course, ont of the question at present, and will be for some years to I come. It may, also, be reasonably supposed that there will be no diffiI culty in finding gentlemen in the community who are willing to give their gratuitous services to the Borough, looking for no more reward than is to be found in the approval of a good conscience in doing one’s work well and faithfully ; nor for any honor and glory beyond those attached to the position itself. But, if this is so, we repeat the question put some time since, as to the advisability of taking some more public and extended notice of an ex-Mayor’s term of office, than is comprehended in a formal vote of thanks. Mr Townley, as Councillor, moved a vote of thanks of the Council to Captain Porter on his retirement from the Mayoral chair; and, officially, we dare say, it is sufficient; but the fact of the ex-Mayor having held office for three years successively, ought to lend an additional inducement to the Councillors and the burgesses to record their sense and appreciation of Captain Porter’s services in a different way. We are not advocates for inviting a man to a feast, for the purpose of “buttering” him, or be-spattering him, to his face, with fulsome praise. Neither should we allude to the subject now, but for the fact that as Captain Porter has held office for an exceptionally long period, he should claim exceptional treatment at the hands of those he has served faithfully and well. To let the opportunity go by without recognition, is a slur upon Captain Porter himself; it is a slight to the official position of Mayor, and affords but little encouragement for our settlers to make sacrifices in the public interests.